IronWifey- September 2018- Parables- Issue 15

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON, SO ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

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MAGAZINE

Parables BIBLICAL LESSONS TO LIVE BY

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As iron sharpens iron, so one woman sharpens another.

September 2018, Issue 15 The Parables Issue CEO: Jesus Founder, Editor-in-Christ, & Creative Designer: Micayla Robertson Editorial Editor in Christ: Denise Dandridge Contributing Writers: Denise Dandridge Ncediwe Mdlulwa Adebosoye Olagbegi Interview Feature: Moriah Thompson

LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER & EDITOR Thank you for reading the "Parables" issue of Ironwifey Magazine.

This issue brings me a deeper understanding of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. While many would speak to crowds in one tone of voice, assuming that everyone would comprehend the purpose of the message, Jesus used stories to grab the hearts of man and speak to his listeners individually. He taught through Parables and provided wisdom to those who could hear. Even today, his stories continue to convict hearts and create change, according to His will.

Parables and stories help to reveal messages in the Word of God that we otherwise would not have understood. Please enjoy this issue of Ironwifey as we dive into the Parables found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I pray that the Lord reveals himself to you in a deeper way.

May the Lord be with you and bless you!

With Love,

-Micayla Founder & Editor-in-Christ, IronWifey Magazine

P.S. - Please help me in welcoming our newest IronWifey Editorial Editor-in-Christ: Denise Dandridge!

CONTENT(S) PARABLES: BIBLICAL LESSONS TO LIVE BY PAGE

AUTHOR

TITLE

Page 6

IRONWIFEY TEAM

Life lessons: A Journey Through Parables

Page 8

NCEDIWE MDLULWA

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

Page 10

ADEBOSOYE OLAGBEGI

Stay Ready

Page 14

MICAYLA ROBERTSON

A Sharpening Session With: Moriah Thompson

Page 18

DENISE DANDRIDGE

One Simple Truth

HIS DISCIPLES CAME AND ASKED HIM, “WHY DO YOU USE PARABLES WHEN YOU TALK TO THE PEOPLE?” -MATTHEW 13:10 (NLT)

IRONWIFEY.COM | PAGE 3

LETTER FROM THE EDITORIAL EDITOR

Thank you for reading the "Parables" issue of IronWifey Magazine.

The Parables issue is extremely exciting for me as the Editorial Editor, and newest member of the magazine's team. I was given the privilege of fully immersing myself in the plethora of stories that Christ delivered at different times throughout the Bible to bring us closer to our Heavenly Father.

I have always enjoyed writing both formally and for recreation and it is truly an honor to be a part of this amazing ministry. I am elated to both be able to use my gifts of writing as a vessel to glorify God, and to also sharpen other women as they pour onto paper what God has placed within their hearts to share.

The Parables Issue will take you on a journey through Christ's unique style of teaching and highlights those stories that have had a profound impact on some of the writers. I pray that this issue will inspire and encourage you to study the Bible for a heightened level of understanding.

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13) With Love,

-Denise Editorial Editor-in-Christ, IronWifey Magazine

CONGRATULATIONS DENISE! WELCOME TO THE TEAM!

FOR I WILL SPEAK TO YOU IN A PARABLE. I WILL TEACH YOU HIDDEN LESSONS FROM OUR PAST -PSALMS 78:2 (NLT)

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LIFE LESSONS: A JOURNEY THROUGH PARABLES

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Parable of the Lost Sheep By: Ncediwe Mdlulwa

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do?

Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninetynine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my Heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish. Matthew 18:12-14 (NLT).

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When I reflected on the theme for this month, I was immediately drawn to the Parable of the Lost Sheep (The Good Shepherd). Some translations refer to this parable as “The Wandered Sheep”, and I related to that. Before I accepted Christ in my life I felt similar to that lost sheep, wandering around without knowing or understanding my God given purpose in life.

However, when I accepted Christ, I can confidently say that the heavenly realms celebrated for my attainment of the gift of salvation.

“When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” Luke 15:6-7(NLT)

The awakening I received by accepting Christ and turning away from earthly things has been the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.

I am that lost sheep who returned to God, so I know that God celebrated in my responsiveness to His word.

The parables found throughout the bible often highlight the idea of finding something of great value.

Unaware that the disciples of Jesus Christ also asked this question , I asked myself why Jesus teaches in Parables? I soon discovered that the answer is found in Matthew 13:10-13 NIV:

He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.

This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”

The Parable of the Lost Sheep, and many others like it reveal what is hidden in the scriptures.

They speak to individual situations and circumstances and are not for everyone to know and understand. For this reason, it is important for us as believers to study scriptures diligently, to seek wisdom and knowledge, as well as to seek God. As a lost and found sheep in God, I now understand the message conveyed in Matthew 13:11.

God enables our spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear the matters of the kingdom. Yet, there are those whose hearts are hardened. This is why Jesus utilized the parables as codes to teach and uncover new spiritual knowledge of the Gospel to his disciples.

I believe that through these parables, Jesus groomed and led his disciples into maturity; and that the knowledge He shared is relevant for all believers and followers of Christ.

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Stay ready By: adebosoye olagbegi

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“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?

Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” - Matthew 24:45-51 NKJV The Parable of the Faithful Servant

Many of us want the reward that is offered to us in Christ Jesus but don’t want to live our lives in a way God has called us to live. We want the blessings God has to offer but not his discipline.

So how do we become a faithful and wise servant found doing the master’s will when the master returns as stated in Matthew 24:46?

To be found doing God’s will requires that we live our lives in a state of readiness completely aligned with the Holy Spirit.

It’s an ongoing process and definitely not an easy one.

The preparedness that this parable references requires letting go of our selfish wants and desires and putting God’s will above our own. Our heart’s posture needs to be synchronized with the things of God. The parable discusses the servant saying in her heart that the master is delaying His coming, thus giving her a chance to act in a way that is against the desires of the Master. That servant’s heart is misaligned with the Holy Spirit. By looking for opportunities to sin or choosing the relief from living a life that is spiritually in focus, means that she is choosing to live life within her own strength and trying to make the outside of her life look prepared for the return of our savior. This deception can be an exhausting journey and result in failure.

But if we seek God first and let God work on the inside of us to put us in alignment with him, being found living a life that glorifies our Heavenly Father is inevitable because it becomes a lifestyle, and the desires to look for opportunities to sin will diminish. There will be times when we fall into sin, but if the posture of our heart remains aligned with the Father’s, we will have repentant hearts that will be continually strengthened by the Holy Spirit. As we grow in our relationship with God it becomes easier to surrender and live the life we’re being called to live in the passage. If the servant loves doing her work, loves treating others well and enjoys living a life that glories her master, she will not be concerned with trying to get ready when the master comes because the servant lives a life that will always be ready for the master’s arrival.

There’s a quote I heard a few years ago that I still say to myself quite frequently,

“Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.”

That is how we should all strive to live our lives. Stay ready by putting God first and living a life where our heart’s posture is in alignment with our Heavenly Father.

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THEREFORE YOU ALSO MUST BE READY, FOR THE SON OF MAN IS COMING AT AN HOUR YOU DO NOT EXPECT. - MATTHEW 24:44 (ESV)

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One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: -LUKE 8:4 (NLT)

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STORYTIME

Moriah Thompson

A Sharpening Session With

This month ironwifey caught up with Case Manager and Storytller, Moriah Thompson. Tune in to the Ironwifey Podcast for the full interview: www.ironwifey.com/podcast

Q. Tell us about yourself ?

A. I work at a men's homeless shelter in downtown Cincinnati and I have the privilege of getting to know a lot of the guys who come to stay with us. I'm a case manager here so I help them come up with goals, listen to their stories and figure out next steps that they want to accomplish while they are staying with us.

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about story time and what that is here?

Q. How has your response been with story telling so far?

A. Personally, I'm shocked! It's the funniest thing, yet still I'm surprised by it! I think it's great and I absolutely love it and I hear a lot of different comments from the guys.

Usually, when they first arrive they think it's weird and then they come to a few classes and they get it and it reminds them of either kindergarten when their teachers would read to them or their mom. So, I get a lot of comparisons to teachers and mothers which are both compliments to me. It kind of brings out the gentle side of them and it's a break in their day. I'm really surprised in how open they are and how excited we all get about our favorite characters and stories. I get to see just how important stories can be in our lives and how we can still learn from them. But mostly, how using your imagination and just relaxing can be so healing for people and so beneficial: to just learn how to calm down and to trust someone.

I see a lot of trust built between the guys and they know that I care about them and they can see God's love through it and it's just an amazing time.

A. We have classes that are available to the guys who stay here, especially when they aren't working. They are expected to go to a certain amount of classes every week. One of the classes is called Story-Time and it is exactly what it sounds like. It's a class of classic stories like Charlotte's Web, Peter Pan, the Wizard of Oz, and Winnie the Pooh and there are about 15 to 25 people who come at a time. Again, these are all men so it's kind of a funny dynamic, but it's something that I felt that God put in my heart when I first started here. He wanted me to create this space that was safe and comforting for the guys and I felt that the way to do this was through reading stories, taking them back to a safe time in their life, and reading stories that they might remember from their childhood.

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He wanted me to create this space that was safe and comforting for the guys and I felt that the way to do this was through reading stories.

-Moriah Thompson

Q. How have stories had a personal impact in your life?

A. I've always loved stories, I've always loved books and I've always learned from them. Some of the most impactful stories in my life were not all necessarily Christian stories, but most of the time they had some sort of theme about God that correlated to my faith.

Just the power of reading a story or having it read to you and having another world created in your head allows you to get so connected to the characters in the story. It's just such a powerful thing and I've seen how powerful they can be for other people.

A story that we heard when we were young that had such an impact on our lives literally takes us back to our childhood which is something that can be scary or comforting. It brings back all these feelings and how God uses that and how He can use all different kinds of things to teach us lessons and stories can shape who we are. Even Jesus used stories, which I find so fascinating.

Q. How do you see Parables or stories unfolding in your life or the lives around you?

A. For me personally, I read the book 'Jane Eyre' when I was little and that really impacted me. It showed a woman who had faith through really difficult circumstances and the lessons that she went through and learned. It just had a really profound impact on me and the faith that she had in God was amazing. Stories that have a really important message or take people directly back to a time that they remember clearly, those are the ones that I've seen have the biggest impact on my life and on the lives of the people that I get to read them to.

Q. How do you Sharpen other women in Christ?

A. We sharpen each other by being open with our struggles.

It's built a lot on trust and friendship and that won't go anywhere. We love each other no matter what, trusting that anything that's ever said, whether correction or encouragement, will always be done in love.

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ONE

SIMPLE

he Bible is comprised of 66 God inspired books which are separated into the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament has 39 books based on Hebrew scripture that helped prepare Christians for the coming of Christ.

The New Testament is made up of 27 books and is divided into the four gospels and Revelations. This compilation was written after the death of Jesus Christ and ushers in through spiritual affirmation God's new covenant. A covenant in which we are no longer bound under the old law, but through Christ's sacrifice, we are offered salvation.

Salvation that is not freely given to all, but that can be obtained through our trust, faith, belief and obedience to the will of our Heavenly Father.

Doing God's will however, and following his plan for our lives is something that requires the utmost commitment. It is not something done on a whim or in a fleeting moment, but requires the complete intertwining of the innermost fabric of our being. A dedication that drives our thoughts, passions and designs to a level that permeates every ounce of energy that we exude.While we were made in God's image (Genesis 1:27 NIV), as humans we lacked the mental acuity to completely comprehend the how and why behind how God works.

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BY: DENISE DANDRIDGE

Ecclesiastes 11:5 (NIV) states that; "As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things." God knew we were imperfect and yet he did not allow our shortcomings to stifle His love for us. To help facilitate our connection with him God sent his Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Christ's mission was to walk among us by taking on the appearance of mankind and by doing so he was able to demonstrate to us an example of what our walk with God should look like. A walk that encompassed not only our willingness to follow, but also the desire to do the will of God. As Jesus walked among us he exhibited characteristics of servitude, kindness and love. He taught us about God's kingdom and what was required of us to enter into Heaven. Christ's methods of educating us however were not straightforward and at times were delivered in riddles. It has often been asked why did Jesus use so many parables? Why wasn't his communication style more direct?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines parables as; short fictitious stories designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principles or moral lessons.

Jesus used parables such as; "The Good Samaritan, The Wise and Foolish Virgins, and The Mustard Seed just to name a few. By putting scenarios side-by-side Christ used this allegorical teaching style to illustrate a spiritual truth to help us gain better understanding of what God expects of us.

The descriptive stories that he told to the disciples, his followers and the people during that period in time were relevant for them which made comprehension easier. Those same parables, however, can be transferred into this era and are still relevant today. Each simile still supports the reasons behind Christ's teachings which were designed to ultimately guide us down the path of righteousness.

Jesus didn't speak about himself, he focused primarily on leading the way into God's kingdom. It was the premise behind everything Christ did. Each of his stories confirmed the one simple, compelling truth behind all of the riddles and parables noted in the Bible. An inherent truth behind why God sent Christ which is written in John IRONWIFEY.COM 14:6 | PAGE 7 (NIV):

"JESUS ANSWERED, “I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME. IF YOU REALLY KNOW ME, YOU WILL KNOW MY FATHER AS WELL".

-JOHN 14:6 (NIV)

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“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. -Matthew 25:1-4 The Parable of the Ten Virgins